August 27, 2010

G129: Red Sox 3, Rays 1

Lester -- who tied a career-high with the five walks -- worked out of several jams, getting double plays to end the first and third innings. He threw two consecutive wild pitches to put the tying run on third with one out in the fourth, but retired the next two hitters. Lester caught Sean Rodriguez trying to steal third to end the fifth and he got a boost in the sixth, when Darnell McDonell gunned down B.J Upton at the plate.

While Lester had only two 1-2-3 innings, Price had none. Martinez hit taters to left in the first and seventh innings, both times hammering a high fastball that was left right over the plate. In the fourth, David Ortiz doubled and scored on Jed Lowrie's two-out flair into center.

Jonathan Papelbon schooled Evan Longoria to begin the bottom of the ninth. Bot started him off with a slider for a called strike, had him swing over a nasty splitter in the dirt, then fanned him on a high fastball. Papelbon walked Willy Aybar and, after striking out Ben Zobrist, he walked pinch-hitter Dan Johnson. John Jaso, another pinch-hitter, battled a little bit, but finally struck out looking on a 2-2 pitch, ending the game.

The Yankees lost to the White Sox 9-4, so Boston moved to 4.5 GB New York and Tampa Bay in both the East and the WC. The Red Sox have not been this close to first place since July 7.

Boston is 5.5 GB in the Wild Card race. ... By Monday morning, the Red Sox could be as close as 2.5 games behind the Rays -- with 31 games to play -- or as far back as 8.5 GB.

Adrian Beltre: "We're trying to catch these guys but it's tough because they're not budging."

The Red Sox are 4-8 against the Rays this season. Tampa Bay has not lost a series at Tropicana Field in two months (though they did split a four-game set in that streak). The two teams meet at Fenway for three games on September 6-7-8.

Also: Season-ending surgery remains a possibility for Dustin Pedroia. ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Eric Patterson joined Pawtucket yesterday for rehab games. ... Hideki Okajima, who has allowed five runs and six hits in 2.1 innings (three appearances) for the PawSox, will be with the Red Sox in Tampa, but it's unclear when or if he will be activated.

1912 - In response to demands for an alternative way to rate pitchers besides wins and losses, the National League will officially keep ERAs for the first time. The American League will do so the following year.

Sometime this summer, we were chatting on a gamethread about email frauds/scams. I think Amy's account had been hacked and that's how it came up. I mentioned I had read some academic articles on Nigerian 419 scams (or I was supposed to read them, may not have actually done so).

I said I would look for the articles and a few people expressed interest. Who are you? Amy, Zen, maybe Benjamin...?

I haven't been this jazzed up about a Sox game since the 2008 playoffs. 2009 was like a lost year for me, I barely watched, but I've really grown to like this 2010 team and I'm hoping for a last hurrah.

Was at Fenway Wednesday night for the second game of the double header--pretty good game despite the loss. But the coolest thing were all the nighthawks weaving in and out of the lights chasing moths. It's migration time for them!

Oh, I CAN do it. I just wouldn't even think to do it because I cannot quite figure out what Twitter is. I know that sounds stupid, but I have looked at it a number of times, and it gives me a headache. All those posts, and I only have about three people I am "following." I just don't find it very user friendly.

One of my socialist/activist friends tries to talk me (and anyone else) into using Twitter and using BBY Messenger, which is free and unlimited between Blackberry users. I asked him, James, do you read? Books?